The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Donald Shown. Shown was born 23 November 1920 on a ranch in Oregon. He joined the Navy in 1939 and went to boot camp in San Diego. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) as a deck hand and during battle stations he was a gun pointer. After delivering troops to Melbourne, Australia, the Indianapolis was ordered to the Bering Sea to patrol the Aleutian Islands. Heavy seas damaged the ship making repairs Mare Island Naval Shipyard necessary. Shown also tells of the Indianapolis participating in the invasions of Tarawa, Saipan and Okinawa. He relates an incident where the ship was damaged by a kamikaze requiring a return to Mare Island for repair. Upon completion of the repairs the ship was ordered to Hunters Point Naval Shipyard where atomic bomb components were put on board, under tight security, and delivered to Tinian. On 30 July 1945 the ship was hit by a Japanese torpedo and sunk. Shown shares anecdotes of being in the water five days: men hallucinating, men dying of thirst and exposure, witnessing fatal shark attacks and being rescued by the USS Bassett …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Everett Reamer. Reamer was born in Elizabethtown, Ohio 20 January 1915. On 1 February 1941, he joined the Army. He arrived at Manila on 21 April 1941 aboard the USS Republic (AP-33). He went to Corregidor where he was assigned to the 60th Coast Artillery and began six weeks of basic training. While the attacks on Cavite Naval Base could be seen from Corregidor, Reamer was not involved in any action until 29 December 1941, at which time Corregidor was subjected to relentless shelling and bombing. Reamer comments on casualties due to physical and mental injury. Corregidor surrendered 7 May 1942 and Reamer and other prisoners of war went aboard a ship bound for Manila. They marched to Bilibid Prison, then on to Cabanatuan. He comments of the sub-human treatment given the POWs resulting in many deaths due to abuse, malaria, dysentery and starvation. During September, he was put aboard the Totori Maru bound for Osaka. He describes specific incidents of severe physical mistreatment. He was even tried by a panel of Japanese soldiers and was sentenced to one year of solitary confinement in Sakai Prison. He describes …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jose Soliz. Soliz was drafted into the Army in April, 1941. In early 1945, Soliz went to the Philippines for the liberation. He served as a machine gunner.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Wilbur H. Hendrix. Hendrix was born on 4 October 1921 in Ray County, Missouri. He entered the Army Air Corps in June, 1942. After basic training at Jefferson Barracks, he went to a civilian aircraft mechanic school in Chicago. From there he went to Blythe Army Airfield in California. After three months, he went to Spokane Army Airfield. There he was assigned as a crew chief for B-17s in the 569th Squadron, 390th Bomb Group. The squadron went overseas to Parham Airfield in Suffolk, England in July, 1943. Hendrix's only direct experience with an aircraft accident occurred when a B-17 was cleared to fly despite heavy icing on the wings. It crashed on takeoff, killing all 9 aboard. Hendrix was involved in the post-crash recovery. In his time off, he visited friends in and around London. He never slept in a shelter until a German V-1 buzz bomb exploded near the house where he was sleeping. Eventually Hendrix was responsible for two aircraft, a Pathfinder, and a trainer for new crews. After Germany surrendered, Hendrix flew on a mission to return 20 French POWs from Austria. The squadron …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Reynolds. Reynolds has some assistance from his daughter during the interview. Reynolds joined the Navy in September 1943 and was in a construction battalion working at Manus in the Admiralty Islands. Reynolds was discharged in December 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Carlos Anserra Sanchez. Sanchez was born 10 September 1927, graduated high school in 1943 and joined the Navy in late 1944. He completed training at Camp Pendleton and served aboard USS Sumner (AGS-5), with the black gang tending to the boilers. From September through February 1945, they conducted survey operations around Ulithi. In June, they continued surveys in Leyte Gulf, Philippines. After the war, they participated in the nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll. They returned to the US in mid-1946, and Sanchez received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with B B Browning. Browning joined the Navy in mid-1943. Beginning mid-1944, he served as Seaman First Class, supporting Marines aboard a troop ship. He recalls his experiences through the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot in June of 1944, and going ashore on Tinian with the Marines. He vividly describes his time on the island, serving on guard duty, communicating with Japanese civilians on the island, supervising work of the remaining Japanese soldiers and serving as yeoman to the captain. He remained on Tinian after the war ended, returning to the US in mid-1946 to receive his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Wilbur H. Hendrix. Hendrix was born on 4 October 1921 in Ray County, Missouri. He entered the Army Air Corps in June, 1942. After basic training at Jefferson Barracks, he went to a civilian aircraft mechanic school in Chicago. From there he went to Blythe Army Airfield in California. After three months, he went to Spokane Army Airfield. There he was assigned as a crew chief for B-17s in the 569th Squadron, 390th Bomb Group. The squadron went overseas to Parham Airfield in Suffolk, England in July, 1943. Hendrix's only direct experience with an aircraft accident occurred when a B-17 was cleared to fly despite heavy icing on the wings. It crashed on takeoff, killing all 9 aboard. Hendrix was involved in the post-crash recovery. In his time off, he visited friends in and around London. He never slept in a shelter until a German V-1 buzz bomb exploded near the house where he was sleeping. Eventually Hendrix was responsible for two aircraft, a Pathfinder, and a trainer for new crews. After Germany surrendered, Hendrix flew on a mission to return 20 French POWs from Austria. The squadron …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with B B Browning. Browning joined the Navy in mid-1943. Beginning mid-1944, he served as Seaman First Class, supporting Marines aboard a troop ship. He recalls his experiences through the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot in June of 1944, and going ashore on Tinian with the Marines. He vividly describes his time on the island, serving on guard duty, communicating with Japanese civilians on the island, supervising work of the remaining Japanese soldiers and serving as yeoman to the captain. He remained on Tinian after the war ended, returning to the US in mid-1946 to receive his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Chester W. Nimitz, Jr. Nimitz was born in Brooklyn, New York 17 February 1915. He attended Severn Preparatory School prior to entering the US Naval Academy in 1932. Upon graduating in 1936, he was assigned to the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) as assistant navigator. He applied for submarine duty in 1938 and trained at New London, Connecticut. After training he was assigned to the USS Sturgeon (SS-187) based in San Diego. In November 1941, the Sturgeon proceeded to Manila. Recalling his first war patrol aboard the Sturgeon, Nimitz recalls being subjected to depth charge attacks and the frustration caused by defective torpedoes. Returning to the United States he was assigned to the USS Bluefish (SS-222) as the executive officer. Later, he was withdrawn from sea duty and assigned to work on the torpedo problem. Nimitz was then put in command of the USS Haddo (SS-255) and describes an attack on a Japanese ship during which all six torpedoes launched exploded prematurely. He discusses the problem of defective torpedoes. On their last patrol in the Haddo, his crew sank five enemy ships and received a Navy Unit Commendation. Nimitz received …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James Reynolds. Reynolds has some assistance from his daughter during the interview. Reynolds joined the Navy in September 1943 and was in a construction battalion working at Manus in the Admiralty Islands. Reynolds was discharged in December 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Carlos Anserra Sanchez. Sanchez was born 10 September 1927, graduated high school in 1943 and joined the Navy in late 1944. He completed training at Camp Pendleton and served aboard USS Sumner (AGS-5), with the black gang tending to the boilers. From September through February 1945, they conducted survey operations around Ulithi. In June, they continued surveys in Leyte Gulf, Philippines. After the war, they participated in the nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll. They returned to the US in mid-1946, and Sanchez received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Everett Reamer. Reamer was born in Elizabethtown, Ohio 20 January 1915. On 1 February 1941, he joined the Army. He arrived at Manila on 21 April 1941 aboard the USS Republic (AP-33). He went to Corregidor where he was assigned to the 60th Coast Artillery and began six weeks of basic training. While the attacks on Cavite Naval Base could be seen from Corregidor, Reamer was not involved in any action until 29 December 1941, at which time Corregidor was subjected to relentless shelling and bombing. Reamer comments on casualties due to physical and mental injury. Corregidor surrendered 7 May 1942 and Reamer and other prisoners of war went aboard a ship bound for Manila. They marched to Bilibid Prison, then on to Cabanatuan. He comments of the sub-human treatment given the POWs resulting in many deaths due to abuse, malaria, dysentery and starvation. During September, he was put aboard the Totori Maru bound for Osaka. He describes specific incidents of severe physical mistreatment. He was even tried by a panel of Japanese soldiers and was sentenced to one year of solitary confinement in Sakai Prison. He describes …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jose Soliz. Soliz was drafted into the Army in April, 1941. In early 1945, Soliz went to the Philippines for the liberation. He served as a machine gunner.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Donald Shown. Shown was born 23 November 1920 on a ranch in Oregon. He joined the Navy in 1939 and went to boot camp in San Diego. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) as a deck hand and during battle stations he was a gun pointer. After delivering troops to Melbourne, Australia, the Indianapolis was ordered to the Bering Sea to patrol the Aleutian Islands. Heavy seas damaged the ship making repairs Mare Island Naval Shipyard necessary. Shown also tells of the Indianapolis participating in the invasions of Tarawa, Saipan and Okinawa. He relates an incident where the ship was damaged by a kamikaze requiring a return to Mare Island for repair. Upon completion of the repairs the ship was ordered to Hunters Point Naval Shipyard where atomic bomb components were put on board, under tight security, and delivered to Tinian. On 30 July 1945 the ship was hit by a Japanese torpedo and sunk. Shown shares anecdotes of being in the water five days: men hallucinating, men dying of thirst and exposure, witnessing fatal shark attacks and being rescued by the USS Bassett …

Letter from Joe to his wife Catherine discussing a package he sent her, Holquin giving the Major a haircut, and a hog bothering the Lieutenant in his tent.

Transcription of letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz answers a few questions and then relates his current standing in his classes.

Handwritten letter from Chester Nimitz to his father in Kerrville. Nimitz answers a few questions and then relates his current standing in his classes. This letter is on US Naval Academy stationery.